Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 6

(Ayah 6)➊ {يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِذَا قُمْتُمْ …… :} In the above verses, under { ”اَوْفُوْا بِالْعُقُوْدِ“ }, the lawful and unlawful things were mentioned; now in this verse, under the same, the rulings of ablution (wudu) and dry ablution (tayammum) are stated, which are included in contracts and, in terms of ease, are also the completion of blessing. (Kabir, Qurtubi) During the expedition of Muraysi‘ (5 or 6 AH), ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) lost her necklace. While searching for the necklace, morning came and there was no water available; people became worried, then this verse was revealed. [ بخاری، التیمم، باب : ۳۳۴ ] Since, through this verse, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were given the concession of tayammum in the absence of water, the scholars have also called this verse the verse of tayammum instead of the verse of wudu. (Qurtubi)

If there is no wudu before prayer, then wudu is obligatory, otherwise it is recommended; the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed several prayers with one wudu. [ مسلم، الطہارۃ، باب جواز الصلوات کلہا بوضوء واحد : ۲۷۷ ] In this verse, the description of wudu is given; in wudu, intention is necessary first, because in the hadith it is stated: [ إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ ] "Intention is necessary for all actions (acts of worship)." [ بخاری، بدء الوحی، باب کیف کان بدء الوحی إلی رسول اﷲ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۱ ] Therefore, Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "This includes faith, wudu, prayer, zakah, hajj, fasting—in short, all actions." The Qur'an mentions four limbs, but its practical method should be according to the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

➋ {فَاغْسِلُوْا وُجُوْهَكُمْ وَ اَيْدِيَكُمْ اِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ:} In washing the face, rinsing the mouth, putting water into the nose and cleaning it, and running fingers through the beard are also included. [ ابن ماجہ، الطہارۃ، باب ما جاء فی تخلیل اللحیۃ : ۴۳۱ ] "Up to the elbows" includes the elbows as well; they must also be washed. Na‘im Mujammir says: I saw Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) performing wudu; he washed his face and washed it thoroughly, then washed his right hand up to above the elbow, then the left hand up to above the elbow, then washed his right foot up to the shin, then the left foot up to the shin, then said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performing wudu in this way." [ مسلم، الطہارۃ، باب استحباب اطالۃ الغرۃ…… : ۲۴۶ ]

➌ {وَ امْسَحُوْا بِرُءُوْسِكُمْ :} Although many scholars have written that wiping the whole head is not obligatory, and wiping a part of the head suffices, but according to the apparent meaning of the Qur'an and the hadiths, the whole head should be wiped. It is not proven from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) even once that he wiped only part of the head without a turban; he would move both hands from the front to the nape and then return them. However, in the case of wearing a turban, after wiping the front part of the head, one may wipe over the turban, as is in Sahih Muslim (81/274), and one may also wipe over the entire turban. [ أبو داوٗد : ۱۴۶ ] Wiping the ears along with the head is established from the hadith. [ نسائی : ۱۰۳۔ ابن ماجہ : ۴۳۹ ] After wiping the head, there is no evidence from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) for wiping the neck separately or wiping with the back of the hands; therefore, this is an innovation.

➍ {وَ اَرْجُلَكُمْ :} In this, there are two recitations with the "lam" having a fatha and a kasrah. According to the recitation with fatha, it is clear that, being the object of { ”فَاغْسِلُوْا“ }, washing the feet is established. In the recitation with kasrah, due to proximity, there is a genitive case, i.e., the first word { ”بِرُءُوْسِكُمْ“ } is given a kasrah to match the preceding word being in the genitive, otherwise, being the object of { ”فَاغْسِلُوْا“ }, it is actually accusative. This is the view of all Sunni scholars, and it is established from many hadiths that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to wash his feet, not wipe over them. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that during a journey, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) lagged behind us, then he caught up with us, and the time for prayer had come; we were performing wudu and (in haste) were passing wet hands over our feet. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said in a loud voice three times: "Woe to the heels from the Fire!" [ بخاری، العلم، باب من رفع صوتہ بالعلم : ۶۰ ] If socks or leather socks are worn in a state of wudu, then according to authentic hadiths, wiping over them is permissible. Sequence in wudu is also necessary, as is established from the "fa" in {’’ فَاغْسِلُوْا ‘‘}, that the face will be washed first, and the rest of the limbs will also follow in order. The mention of washing the feet after wiping the head also indicates sequence, i.e., the object {”فَاغْسِلُوْا“} is mentioned later, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) always performed wudu in this order, never otherwise. Washing the limbs at least once and at most three times is established; more than this is not permissible.

➎ {فَامْسَحُوْا بِوُجُوْهِكُمْ وَ اَيْدِيْكُمْ مِّنْهُ:} For its details, see Surah An-Nisa (43).

➏ {مَا يُرِيْدُ اللّٰهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِّنْ حَرَجٍ ……:} Because He does not wish to put you in difficulty, and in the absence of water, He has prescribed tayammum with earth for complete purification, so that He may complete His favor upon you and that you may give thanks.